20 additional JNVs sanctioned in districts with more SC/STs

New Delhi: Districts having large concentration of SC and ST population would soon have 20 additional Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, with the government granting sanction to it, Lok Sabha was informed today.

HRD Minister Smriti Irani said “government has sanctioned 20 additional Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) in the districts having large concentration of SC/ST population and two more JNVs in Manipur as a special case.”

JNV scheme provides for opening up of one JNV in each district of the country. Out of the 628 districts in the country as on April 15, 2012, JNVs have been sanctioned in 576 districts located in 35 states and UTs, except Tamil Nadu.

Of the remaining 52 districts, six districts have no rural population and therefore, JNVs are needed to be opened in the remaining districts, Irani said during Question Hour.

Replying to queries, she said that opening of new Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) and JNVs was a continuous process which depended on availability of funds and willingness of concerned state government to make available suitable and requisite land free of cost for construction of school buildings.

Irani said at present there was no proposal to increase the number of seats in the existing KVs as the available infrastructure of these schools was being fully utilised.

The Minister said as on date, there are 1,119 KVs in the country and during 2013-14, government had approved opening of 54 new KVs of which 27 KVs have already been made functional.

“The remaining KVs have not been made functional so far, primarily due to non-transfer of requisite extent of land by the sponsoring authorities,” she said.